in history
Several GMA members’ businesses have been operating for more than 100 years. Some of them share their thoughts on what it takes to last a century, and GMA’s impact over the decades.
Along with the Guilford Merchants Association, which is celebrating 120 years this year, several GMA members also have long histories.
At Schiffman’s Jewelers, a fifth generation of Schiffmans now help run the business, which opened in downtown Greensboro in 1893. City Transfer and Storage, launched by I.M. Lassiter in 1908, is on its third generation of Lassiters.
M.G. Newell has been family-owned since opening in 1885, and The Art Shop since 1899, although at both businesses the family in charge has changed.
How have they stayed in business so long? Being adaptable and making connections are key.
“If you’re not adapting and changing and growing, you’re going to die,” said Gray Sherrill, president of M.G. Newell and vice chair of the GMA Board of Directors.
The Newell family owned the business for generations before Sherrill’s parents and a handful of partners bought
it in 1984. Within five years, the Sherrills bought out the remaining part-owners, who stayed on to work at the company.
M.G. Newell was about 95% focused on dairy supply in the 1980s. Dairy now makes up about 15% of the company’s business, Sherrill
M.G. Newell started out as a family -owned dry goods store in 1885. It later began selling vehicles, bikes and agricultural items. Today, M.G. Newell offers hygienic processing, stainless steel fabrication and automation solutions.
said. Today, M.G. Newell provides sanitary processing equipment, automation and controls solutions to food, beverage, dairy, pharmaceutical and personal care companies.
Like M.G. Newell, The Art Shop has also adapted based on the community’s needs over the decades, said Andy McAfee, president and co-owner.
The store has evolved from its beginnings as a photography studio to focus on custom framing and today, as a gallery featuring paintings, sculptures and other artwork from artists across the globe. The store also specializes in art restoration and corporate art services.
“You just keep kind of
Continues on page 4
Spring snapshots
Alison Huber, Dynamic Quest (left); Leslie Speas, InfluenceHR Consulting (center); and Merikay Hunt, COACH MKay Companies (right), pose for a photo at the April 9 Noontime Network. See more snapshots from GMA events on Page 3.
The Art Shop, which dates to 1899, displays mementos from its long history on several walls at the business.
Name: Nicole Dohmlo
Hometown: Titusville, Florida
Residence: Greensboro, N.C.
Age: 31
Education: Bachelor’s in event coordinating and organizational management
Business: All Pets Considered
Role/title: Event coordinator and social media manager
Responsibilities: I work closely with local organizations, rescues, and businesses to plan and coordinate events that promote both All Pets Considered and the community partners we support. Throughout the year, I represent our store at local markets, fundraisers, sporting events, and other community gatherings. In the store, I help create our seasonal promotions and special events, especially around the holidays, to make the experience fun and engaging for our customers. I also manage our social media and marketing efforts to keep our customers informed and connected to everything we have going on.
On GMA: I first learned about GMA when I started working at All Pets Considered. Alison has been a member for many years and encouraged me to get involved as a way to connect with the local community. Being new to North Carolina and stepping into my role as Event Coordinator, it
was important for me to build relationships, and GMA made that much easier.
The Noontime and After Work networking events have been especially helpful. They create a relaxed, welcoming environment that makes meeting people feel comfortable, even if you’re a little shy like I can be. Through GMA, I’ve been able to connect with so many local businesses and stay informed about what’s happening in the community.
On GMA benefits: My favorite benefits so far have been the digital networking events and the Teach Me Tuesdays speakers. I try to attend as many as I can because I always walk away having learned something new. Once you’re out of school, continuing to learn really becomes something you have to be intentional about, and GMA makes that easy.
I’ve really appreciated how it helps me keep growing in areas like mar-
President & CEO
Vice President
Membership Development
Program/Events Manager
Administrative Assistant
Operations Assistant
TRENDS is published for the members of the Guilford Merchants Association.
Publication Coordinator – Michelle Bolick Phone (336) 378-6350
225 Commerce Place, Greensboro, N.C. 27401 www.mygma.org
G. Mark Prince
Michelle Bolick
Sharon Smith
Stacey Speight
Melinda Thomas
Timera Poteat
The Guilford Merchants Association is a nonprofit organization founded in 1906. The Association is a business membership organization focused on supporting member companies with educational programming, lead generation activities, marketing opportunities, and overall enrichment while serving as a catalyst for community growth and prosperity.
keting, leadership, and even work life balance. It’s been a great way to build on my knowledge while also connecting with others who also value ongoing learning and professional growth. On Risers: Joining Risers was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I joined last year as a way to push myself out of my comfort zone, especially since I’m still fairly new to the area. While GMA is a great way to meet people, it can feel a little overwhelming at first, and Risers made it much easier to find my footing.
Being part of the group has helped me connect with others who are navigating similar professional and personal challenges. My favorite part has been the Risers lunch meetups. They are a nice break in the middle of the workday and give us a chance to talk through challenges, share advice, and learn from each other. I also enjoy hearing what everyone is working on and finding ways we can support
one another.
Since we all come from different roles and industries, it brings a lot of different perspectives to the table, which has been really valuable. It’s also just a genuinely fun group to be part of, and I’m looking forward to getting even more involved this year. What piece of advice have you received that has helped you as a young professional?: One piece of advice Alison shared that has really stuck is to not be afraid to try something new and step outside of your comfort zone. It’s easy to hold back, especially early on, but I’ve learned that growth really happens when you push yourself a little.
Stepping outside of my comfort zone is actually what showed me how supportive the GMA community really is. Once I started putting myself out there, I realized how much the members genuinely want to see each other succeed.
Personal: When I’m not hosting events with All Pets Considered, I enjoy spending time with my Husky, Alaska, exploring the walking trails around Greensboro or taking day trips to Winston-Salem or Raleigh. I also love wandering through bookstores and finding new additions to my reading list.
Whenever I have the chance, I like to travel back home to Florida to spend quality time with my parents and my two sisters!
Nicole Dohmlo All Pets Considered apc@allpetsconsidered.com https://allpetsconsidered.com/
Upcoming events
Here’s what’s coming up:
May 27 — Risers Lunch Meet Up, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Black Powder Smokehouse, 302 E. Main St., Jamestown.
June 3 — Meet & Eat, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Grapes & Grains, 2001 Yanceyville St., Greensboro.
June 9 — Center City AM Briefing, 8 a.m.-9 a.m., GMA, 225 Commerce Place, Greensboro. Registration begins at 7:45 a.m. Breakfast provided with registration.
June 16 — Teach Me Tuesday, noon-1 p.m., GMA, 225 Commerce Place, Greensboro. Registration begins at 11:45 a.m. Lunch provided with registration. Registration for events is required. Register at www.mygma.org.
Photo courtesy of Nicole Dohmlo
New Risers members get to know each other at the March 4 Risers 101 event at GMA’s offices. Risers 101 provides young professionals with information about what Risers offers.
Teach Me Tuesdays
at the March 17 event.
Snapshots
Scenes from GMA events in March and April
Teach Me Tuesdays
Carmen Canales, Davidson Group HR Solutions, talks about navigating workplace conflict with confidence on March 17 for a Teach Me Tuesdays session at GMA.
Noontime Network
Noontime Network
Teach Me Tuesdays
Andrew Grove, Ray Mobile Storage (left) and Joel Payne, Edward Jones, chat while they eat
Joe Novara, Growth Academy (center) exchanges business cards with Terry Rose, Fibrenew Greensboro at the March 17 event.
From left, Videl Lanier, Doubletree by Hilton (Airport), and Brandi Penn, DoubleTree by Hilton (Airport), decide where to put their tickets to win a prize at the April 9 Noontime Network.
Jeremiah Pope, Venture X (left) and David Ruck, Edward Jones, take a break from the sticker game at the Noontime Network at the Hilton Garden Inn (Airport) on April 9.
Manan Patel, Glass Doctor Home + Business of Greensboro (left) and Asha Burnett, Marriott Airport, grab a drink at the April 9 event.
Continued from page 1
moving with the times,” McAfee said. “You couldn’t be doing photography full-time anymore like you could in the ’30s and ’40s.”
City Transfer and Storage started in High Point with a team of mules and horses, a wagon, and a “vision for a company that could haul just about anything – as long as it fit in the wagon.”
The company later expanded to include commercial storage, corporate relocation and crane work. City Transfer and Storage is considered the Carolinas’ largest, most diversified moving and storage business and the oldest continually operated familyowned transportation and logistics company in North Carolina.
Each business has a storied past.
Schiffman’s Jewelers started in 1893, when master watchmaker Simon Schiffman found a shop for sale while walking down Elm Street in Greensboro. He had been on his way to Asheville to buy a jewelry business there but ended up buying the Greensboro store instead.
His son Arnold, a gemologist,
joined the American Gem Society when it began and later helped organize what is today known as Jewelers of America. He was the organization’s first president. Arnold’s son Tony served as president of the North Carolina Jewelers Association.
The fourth generation of the family — brothers Arnold, Vance and Lane Schiffman — are leading the company with help from their children, the fifth generation of Schiffmans.
Lane Schiffman said each generation has helped the company evolve, from improving marketing to expanding the physical footprint with new stores. He said the next generation has already helped with new technology and social media marketing.
Throughout the years, GMA has helped these companies survive and thrive.
McAfee remembers meeting people when he started working at The Art Shop in 1997, before buying it with a partner in 2015. He belonged to the Networking Gurus, one of three GMA networking groups.
The connections served him well after he bought The Art Shop, McAfee said.
Sherrill said the training and networking GMA provides have helped
Above: City Transfer and Storage was honored with a historical marker in 2019. The business, which opened in 1908, is the oldest continually operated family-owned transportation and logistics company in North Carolina.
At right: Schiffman’s Jewelers has been family-owned since it opened in 1893. Today, the fourth generation is in charge, with help from their children. From left are: Arnold Schiffman III, Lane Schiffman and Vance Schiffman.
his company by giving employees a chance to learn and connect.
one of the few merchants associations still active in the country.
GMA has also evolved over the years, allowing it to survive and serve as a role model, Schiffman said. It is
“They’re just here to support us. And they do an incredible job,” Schiffman said.
New to workforce? Be proactive with learning
Question: What are you most proud of in your career?
Answer: During my 33 years in the banking industry, most of my career has been leading commercial banking teams in Guilford County. It has been such a privilege to work with the amazing commercial bankers, business development officers, and teammates that care so deeply for their clients and our community.
My 20 years in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Naval Reserve were a tremendous experience for me. I would
Questions with ... 6
Ford Bowers
Guilford County
Market Executive II, Fidelity Bank
just like to encourage the high school and collegeaged generation to learn more about possible jobs/ careers in the U.S. military. You will meet incredible people and leaders.
Q: What is one of your favorite family recipes?
Answer: Cuban picadillo. Recipe passed down from my grandmother, Anita.
Q: What is something
that you think your community needs?
A: Currently in the Triad, the residential housing shortage is making home ownership very difficult for many people. This is going to be a tough headwind.
Q: What is a piece of advice for someone new to the workforce?
A: Be patient. Be proactive with learning. Learn from your peers’ best qualities, not their worst qualities. Lean towards the positive. Don’t let negative energy drag you down.
Q: What was your first
job and what did you like about it?
A: Delivering the Raleigh Times newspaper. Folding and throwing the newspapers up on front porches, without any broken windows.
Q: What are you most thankful for?
A: My incredible wife and children……for sure!
Ford Bowers
336-544-7583
ford.bowers@fidelitybanknc.com fidelitybanknc.com
Involvement makes GMA ‘feel like a commmunity’
ater has always been a big part of Darlene Haskins’ life.
NEW MEMBER W
She’s been teaching people how to swim for 30 years. Her reputation has earned her the nickname “water whisperer.”
Now she has another role connected to water. She helps her husband, William, promote his new business, RDA Soft Wash.
The name “RDA” comes from the initials of their three children.
Founded in 2025, RDA Soft Wash offers pressure washing for roofs, siding, windows, gutters, vinyl fences, driveways, sidewalks and even trash cans. They serve more than a dozen communities, mostly in the Triad, but as far west as Mt. Airy and east to Burlington.
When her husband became disillusioned with working for large corporations, he started thinking about striking out on his own. The idea for what that business could be evolved from wanting to pressure wash their house. He found himself tackling a friend’s house next — and then his mom’s.
Next came a bigger pressure washing system. He wanted to quit his
regular job as early as 2022, but Darlene Haskins said she cautioned him to wait. He did more research before taking the plunge in 2025.
“It’s actually worked out really well,” Darlene Haskins said.
For the pressure washing business, Haskins said she handles social media, engaging people online, and networking, which is why she recently joined GMA. Her husband does all of the customer relations work, including replying to inquiries, scheduling and dealing with payments.
“We kind of teamwork it,” she said. “He does what he likes to do out of it and I do the rest.”
Haskins said she has attended several GMA events, from orientation to a Noontime Network. She’s trying to figure out how to work in participating in GMA while juggling her busy swimming lessons business. She’s already made some connections.
“I’m going to try to make the best of this membership,” she said.
While she had heard about GMA
previously, it didn’t fit with her swimming business, Haskins said. But when her husband started RDA Soft Wash, she accepted an invitation to visit GMA from member Joe Novara of Growth Academy.
“He’s the reason I joined,” she said.
She immediately saw how involved GMA members are and the many
Risers is GMA’s group for young professionals age 39 or younger. However, any GMA member is welcome to attend Risers events.
resources that are offered.
“It feels like a community,” Haskins said.
Darlene Haskins
336-423-3844
rdasoftwash@gmail.com https://rdasoftwash.com
William Haskins started RDA Soft Wash in 2025. The business provides pressure washing services to clients mostly in the Triad, but as far west as Mt. Airy and as far east as Burlington.
Tisha Taylor, First Citizens Bank, talks to Cory Cauble, Fidelity Bank, at the March 12 Risers workshop focused on preparing for leadership.
From left, Zachary Bozarth, Orgerly Benefits; Elizabeth Rumero, LaQuinta; and Kelly Ingram, City of Greensboro, attend the March 12 Risers workshop on preparing for leadership.
Photo courtesy of RDA Soft Wash
Be careful what company information you feed into AI
BY NATE BOOZER
Ask around your office. Chances are, someone on your team is using ChatGPT, Copilot, or another AI tool to draft emails, summarize documents, or speed up their work. That’s not necessarily bad. What should concern you is what they’re feeding into it.
Most free AI tools use whatever you type in to help train future versions of the model. When an employee pastes a client contract, a spreadsheet of customer data, or internal financials into a personal AI account
BUSINESS SUCCESS
to “clean it up” or “summarize it,” that information leaves your control. You have no idea where it goes or who eventually sees it.
This is called shadow AI, and it’s happening in almost every small business right now, whether the owner knows it or not.
The fix isn’t banning AI. That ship has sailed, and honestly, these tools are too useful to shut down. The fix is putting some basic guardrails in place.
First, find out what your team is actually using. A quick, non-punitive conversation usually gets honest
GMA welcomed new members and new employees of member companies at orientation on March 11. Seated, from left: Stephanie Jane Edwards, Forage; Dolly Pal, Firehouse Subs; Valerie DeFranco, Nailed it DIY Greensboro; Stafanie Walling, Regatta Marketing Solutions; Alison Huber, Dynamic Quest; Michelle Bolick, GMA; and Stephanie Ward, Print Plus. Second row, from left: Elizabeth Gardner, Krave Kava; Chad DeFranco, Nailed it DIY Greensboro; Truth Divine Johnson, EIPD; Peggy Hickle, Forge Greensboro; Rebecca Chavis, Pelorus Coaching; and Julie Howe, Carolina Digital Phone.
Third row, from left: Brandon Shanahan, The Resource Co.; Zachary Bozarth, Orgerly Benefits; Jeff Meisnere, Mattress By Appointment Triad; Steve Scott, Howard Hanna Allen Tate Realtors; Shane Dyson, Waldo’s Lock and Security; Mike Harbour, Waldo’s Lock and Security; Waldo Smith, Waldo’s Lock and Security; Pedja Karamehic, Triad Network Systems LLC; and Amanda Chambers, Sunbird Storage.
answers. People aren’t trying to cause problems. They just want to get their work done.
Second, decide what data should never be pasted into a public AI tool. Client information, financial records, employee data, and anything covered by a contract or regulation should be off-limits.
Third, consider paid business ver-
Member Orientation
sions of these tools. Microsoft Copilot and the business tiers of ChatGPT and Claude offer contractual guarantees that your data won’t be used for training.
Finally, write it down. Even a onepage policy gives your team clear direction and protects you if something goes wrong.
AI isn’t going anywhere. Getting ahead of it now is a lot easier than cleaning up a data leak later.
Nate Boozer is the owner of Cypress Networks, a Greensboro-based IT provider supporting businesses with managed IT and cybersecurity services since 2002.
336-841-3030
www.cypressnetworks.com
Waldo Smith III, Waldo’s Lock & Security, hands out business cards during the March 11 Member Orientation at GMA’s offices in downtown Greensboro. During orientation, new members and employees of members learn about the training, networking and other opportunities available to members of the Guilford Merchants Association.
Boozer
GMA/First Point helps bring big screen to downtown
isitors to the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts and LeBauer Park will get to experience entertainment on a high-definition LED screen, thanks in part to a $250,000 donation from the GMA/FirstPoint Foundation Fund.
The leadership gift from the Guilford Merchants Association/ FirstPoint Foundation Fund will be combined with a $185,000 gift from Dr. Sam LeBauer through the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro.
The gifts will allow the project to move forward with the purchase and installation of the screen and sound system this year, with a goal to debut at LeBauer Park in the summer, the organizations said when announcing the gifts in April. The venues will share a 26.5-foot by 14.75-foot screen. A permanent sound system will be installed in the park.
Jack Garvey Jr., executive director and chief development officer of Greensboro Downtown Parks Inc. called the investment “a powerful collaboration between the arts, public spaces, and the business community.”
“The GMA/FirstPoint Screen will bring people together in new
The GMA/First Point fund donated $250,000 to help buy a high-definition LED screen and sound system for LeBauer Park and the Tanger Center. From left: Anita Bachmann, GMA chair; Scott Johnson, Oak View Group general manager of the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts; Mark Prince, GMA/First Point president and CEO; Jack Garvey, executive director and chief development officer of Greensboro Downtown Parks Inc.; and Michelle Bolick, GMA vice president.
ways while supporting the vitality of downtown Greensboro,” he said.
With the new technology, public programming in downtown Greensboro will be expanded. The screen and sound system will be used for community events, movies in the park, sporting events and enhanced performance experiences.
“Guilford Merchants Association and FirstPoint Foundation are pleased to make this contribution to enhancing the quality of life in our community for hundreds of thousands of patrons from Broadway enthusiasts to families enjoying movie nights in the park,” said Mark Prince, GMA president and CEO.
The GMA/FirstPoint
Screen will be shared between the two locations based on seasonal need. For example, during the spring and summer, it will be used for public events at the Price Bryan Performance Pavilion in LeBauer Park. From October through March, it will be used at the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts to enhance performances and special events.
Tanger Center
General Manager Scott Johnson said touring artists and productions have been asking for a dedicated LED screen to support certain performances. He said the investment will “elevate the production value of shows at Tanger Center while also creating new community experiences in LeBauer Park.”
Grapes & Grains
March 25, 2026
From left: Reagan Tomlinson, Fox 8 WGHP; Donna Russell, Howard Hanna Allen Tate Real Estate; and Jay Brower, Howard Hanna Allen Tate Real Estate get their picture made at the March 25 Meet & Eat.
Tom Poston, Paul Davis Restoration (left) and Cathy Seraphin, St. Moritz Building Services, pose for a photo.
Gabriel Reber, New York Life (left) and Eric Hancox, Fresh Coat Painters, catch up over a bite to eat at Grapes & Grains.
Kelly Ingram, City of Greensboro, helps Timera Poteat, GMA operations assistant, at the check-in desk.
